Car-coupling



(No Model.)

- H. L. ARNOLD.

- I I OAR COUPLING. N0. 372,283. Patented Nov. 1, 1887.

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CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,283, dated November 1, 1887.

Application filed April 16, 18.57.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in theconnty of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Coupling Attachments for Railroad-Oars; and [do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripdraw-headsnow in use for railroad-cars, and

without alteration of the same, the whole possessing all the advantages of the common link and pin and operating automatically in coupling the car to which it is attached with another, using a link like its own or of any ordinary kind, regardless of the ordinary differences in the height of cars; second, to provide an attachment to be applied to an ordinary draw-head for automatically coupling cars, which may be uncoupled without going betweenthe cars. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l isan end view of a car with my attachment in place. Fig. 2 is a top view of the multiple link. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of two cars to which my device is attached. Fig.

. 5 is a top view of the pin-bar. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the pin. Fig. 7 is a View in perspective of a trip-plate.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Y

A represents a multiple link, which is formed as shown. I prefer to construct this link of four ormore pieces, of any suitable material, welded together so as to form the end A, which must be of such dimensions that it may be Serial No. 235,068. 1N0 model.)

placed in the socket of an ordinary draw-head. The branches a a a a should be at such a distance from each other as will admit another link of ordinary thickness to be passed between them.

B represents the trip-plate, which is formed of abar of iron ofsuitable thickness, provided with an oblong or rectangular slot in one end and bentin the middle, forming an obtuse 6o angle.

0 is the pin-bar, which is a rectangular iron bar provided with two oblong slots, 0 and c. The slot 0 begins near one end of the bar 0 and ends near the middle of the bar, while the slot 0 is near the opposite end, and is made of a proper size to receive an ordinary couplingpin.

D represents a rectangular pin, one half of which is of such a size that it will freely pass 73 through the hole in the draw-head and hold the multiple link in place, while the upper half is slightly larger and extends above the draw-head for the purpose of holding the pin and trip-plates in position. I 75 I is an ordinary coupling-pin held in slot 0 in bar O.

In placing my attachment on an ordinary draw-head the multiple link is first placed in the socket of the draw-head and held in posi- 8 tion by the pinD. The trip-plate is then put in position by passing the slot over the pin and placing the opposite end through the multiple link. The pin-plate is then placed on the pin by slipping the long slot over it and placing 3 the ordinary coupling-pin through the slot in the opposite end, and then fixing the key in the point to prevent the pin from being removed from the plate. In operating, one of the pinsis held in the 0 position shown on car E, Fig. 4, by the liftingchain G or adjusting-bar H, resting in the position shown on car E. The chain and adjusting-bar on the opposite car, F, resting in the position shown, the pin and pin-plate will then 5 be free to act and rest in the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4C, and as car E approaches car F the branches of one link will pass between those of the other and strike the lower endof the trip-plate B, which will cause the upper end to throw the pin-plate out of balance, which will then fall to a horizontal position, carrying the coupling-pin with it, which will drop through and couple the cars. Should the link on one of the cars be an ordinary single link, it will pass between two of the branches of the multiple links, which are extensive enough in their range to accommodate a single link occupying any possible position in the ordinary draw-head. To uncouple the cars it is only necessary to pull on the chain G from the top of the car or turn the adjustingbar H to the position shown on car E, Fig. 4, the operator standing at the side of the car. The adjusting-bar raises the pin,which carries the pin-plate with it and places it in readiness for operation. It at any time any portion of the attachment becomes iuj ured, the whole may bedetached and an ordinary link used instead. The difference in the height of cars maybe so great that only the upper branch of one multiple link will pass between the lower branches of the other, yet it will be held with sufficient strength.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The multiple link A, tripplate B, pinbar 0, and pin D, in combination with an ordinary draw-head, substantially as set forth, and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of thepin I, pin-bar 0, pin D, trip-plate B, and multiple link A, as an attachment for ordinary draw-hcads on railroad-cars, and by which they are converted into automatic or self couplers, substantially as described and set forth.

3. In an attachment for the draw-heads of railroad-cars for converting them into automatic couplers, the combination of the multiple link A, the trip-plate B, the pin D, pinbar 0, and pin I, and the adjusting-bar H, connected with the pin I by a flexible connection, substantially as described and set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY L. ARNOLD.

\Vitnesscs:

It. M. MoDERMo'rT, B. L. PoLLooK. 

